Zardari rubbishes reports over ISI backing Taliban

International

Samyuktha

Posted By: Samyuktha

Published: Saturday, August 7, 2010, 12:17 [IST]

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London, Aug.7 (ANI): While rubbishing media reports of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) supporting the Taliban, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Islamabad remains committed to fight against terrorism.

"I don't think anybody doubts our intentions on this war," Zardari said in an interview with BBC Newsnight.

Zardari, who claimed of having a "positive" meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, dismissed reports regarding the ISI backing the Taliban as "hearsay and chatter".

He also denied claims that the ISI chief, Ahmed Shuja Pasha, was also supposed to join him on his visit to the UK, saying: "He was not supposed to join me."

The President said that Islamabad has a "blunt edge" in the ongoing war against terrorism, and stressed that his country had no role in promoting extremism.

"Pakistan has more of the blunt edge of this battle than anyone else. I've always maintained terrorism passes through Pakistan, it doesn't evolve in Pakistan," Zardari said.

"We have lost more soldiers than the world put together. I have lost my wife, we have lost workers, my personal friends... so I don't think anybody doubts our intentions on this war, but there can always be weaknesses which need to be strengthened," he added.

Zardari has received tremendous flak for going ahead with his plans of visiting London while millions of people back home were struggling to cope with one of the worst floods in human memory, but the President said he is being kept up to date with the situation, and added that it was the responsibility of the Prime Minister, who was the country's "chief executive" to look after relief and rescue work. (ANI)